


A Light Across the Sea

by Lassarina Aoibhell (Lassarina)



Category: American Gods - Gaiman
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-22
Updated: 2009-12-22
Packaged: 2017-10-05 01:03:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/36052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lassarina/pseuds/Lassarina%20Aoibhell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She comes to the New World a saint, and becomes a goddess once more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Light Across the Sea

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Minnow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minnow/gifts).



She arrived in the New World with fire to her hand, and fire all around her. The Vikings, Idunn told her, used to send out boats for their funerals, and set them ablaze once safely out to shore. She was invited to witness the rite, once, and secretly she burned the ogham of her name into the arrow that would be used to set the boat alight. The Aesir never knew, or if they did they never said, and in any case she stole none of their worship in so doing. Idunn shared with her the apples from her orchard, and they were nearly as sweet as Brighid's own.

The immigrants who brought her to the New World did it in the form of a lantern, lit from the candles at Kildare, where her priestesses tended her now in the garb of Catholic nuns. They kept her safe and hidden in the belly of their ship, and fed her with prayers for their safety on the dangerous crossing. She herself was too ill to grant their prayers—a goddess of fire did not combine well with the sea—but she petitioned Mannanan Mac Lir on their behalf, and he indulged her, grateful for any memory of his being in the centuries since the Druids had left Eire.

Their first night on shore, they found a place to hang her lantern. Though she half-expected them to let her fade, here in this New World far from their churches, she was touched to find that they still prayed to her on Candlemas, which she had once called Imbolc.

She returned their kindness by blessing their town, and it was known for decades as the best place to buy handcrafted goods. Then the Pagans came, and though their rites were not what she had known in her heyday, their intention was good. Brighid did well for herself in the New World.


End file.
